1. Field
A device for measuring floating micro-organisms and an air conditioner including a device for measuring floating micro-organisms are disclosed herein.
2. Background
Recently, indoor air pollution in buildings has gradually increased, as the introduction of external gases has been minimized and buildings are airtight in order to save energy. Accordingly, various legal restrictions on indoor pollutants have been gradually strengthened.
The indoor pollutants may include (1) particulate pollutants, such as micro-dusts and asbestos, (2) gaseous pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds (VOC), and (3) biological pollutants, such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. In particular, the biological pollutants may adversely affect a user's health. Recently, techniques which measure an amount of biological pollutants and purify indoor air based on measurement results have been developed.
Related art directed to these techniques is as follows.
(1) Korea Patent No. 10-1418295, registered on Jul. 4, 2014 and entitled “Pathogen Detection by Simultaneous Measurement of Size/fluorescence”, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This patent relates to a device and a method for simultaneously detecting micro-organisms and micro-dusts, for example, which are floating in air and in liquid by detecting fluorescence from micro-organism cells through a light source of a specific wavelength. The device and the method include an oval mirror, a laser source, a nozzle, a plurality of lenses, a particle detector, and a fluorescence detector. The device and the method detect the passing particles through an amount of the fluorescence by allowing air or water to be measured to pass through micro-flow paths and monitoring in real time.
(2) Korea Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0016923, published on Feb. 10, 2014 and entitled “Device and Method for Detecting Micro-organisms”, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This publication discloses a reflecting mirror, a light source, a plurality of lenses, two detectors, filters, and a beam blocker, and detects particles scattered in all directions through an amount of fluorescence by monitoring in a real time.
These related art devices for measuring floating micro-organisms have the following problems.
The related art device for detecting floating micro-organisms have a complex structure, require many components, and use expensive lasers and lens. Accordingly, there is a problem of added cost to fabricate the device.
Further the related art device for detecting floating micro-organisms has a large volume and is to be located at a specific position as a single device. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the device is limited to being provided with a particular household appliance or portable device. In addition, there is a difficulty in that the process must be accompanied by a separate fluorescent processing of the floating micro-organisms in order to measure the amount or concentration of the floating micro-organisms.